Highland Park-Highwood Election Guide: 2020 General Election
HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Early and mail-in voting are shattering records across the country. In Lake County, the number of mail-in ballots sent out by the clerk's office far exceeded the number sent out during all of the 2016 presidential election and clerk's office officials have reported lines at the initial polling site that opened on Sept. 24 and the Lake County Courthouse.
Early voting began Monday morning at 17 additional locations for voters looking to cast their ballot in person ahead of the Nov. 3 election, including in Highland Park.
Whether you plan to vote by mail or in person, here's everything you need to know about casting your ballot as a Lake County resident.
Voter Registration
Not sure if you're already registered to vote? You can find out here. If you are not already registered, you may do so in person through Nov. 3.
Do you have questions about what you will need to register to vote? Check out this Patch.com article to make sure you are all set: Voter Registration 2020 In Illinois: 5 Things To Know.
If you're voting by mail
Voting by mail is available to all Illinois voters before Election Day. Voters can request a vote-by-mail ballot through the mail or in person.
Everyone who has voted in any election since November 2018, and who has registered to vote or has updated their voter registration since March 18, 2018, was sent an application to request a vote-by-mail ballot.
The first day to file an application to vote by mail was June 16. The last day is Oct. 29.
Those wishing to request a ballot in Lake County can download an application at LakeVoterPower.info or call 847-377-Vote (8683) You can also send an email to votingbymail@lakecountyil.gov with your name, address and date of birth and request a form be sent to you by email or mailed to an address of your choice.
What to do with your mail-in ballot
Ballots will come with a return envelope and can be returned by mail. Unlike many other election authorities, Lake County does not provide postage paid return envelopes along with mail ballots.
Those who have concerns about their ballots being shipped via the U.S. Postal Service can also drop off completed ballots at drop boxes in Lake County. The clerk's office has a drop box finder available online.
Since the drop boxes positioned at the early voting sites must be within sight of election judges, those boxes are inside the building and are only accessible while the voting site is open (see more on early voting locations and hours of operation for those sites below), according to the Lake County Clerk's Office. The clerk's office encouraged those who are returning their vote by mail ballot at an early voting site to "just walk in to the building and directly to the drop box" —you do not need to stand in line with those who are voting in person.
There are also four outside drop boxes that are unattended but monitored by video surveillance that is recorded, according to information released by the clerk's office in August. Those drop boxes will be available 24 hours per day and permanently anchored in place. All drop boxes close at 7 p.m. on election night.
Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, or they will not be counted. If a ballot envelope is placed in a mail drop box on or near Election Day, that envelope may be postmarked late and will not be eligible to be counted.
30 Percent Of Lake Co. Voters Request Mail-In Ballot »
Early Voting
When early voting kicked off at the Lake County Courthouse in September, the clerk's office reported lines "all day" for the first two days of voting. With more voting sites opening on Oct. 19pefully polling places won't be packed but voters should be prepared for that possibility.
In total, 17 additional sites opened for voters Monday, including a polling place at Highland Park Country Club, 1201 Park Ave. West. You may use any early voting site regardless of where you live in Lake County.
All sites will offer weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 1. On Monday, Nov. 2, early voting will be available only at four locations from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
You can find locations, addresses, dates, and times on the Lake County Clerk's Office website, utilize the clerk's office online voting sites finder or by call the Lake County Clerk's Office Voter Registration Services Department at 847-377-Vote (8683).
Want To Vote Early In Lake Co.?: Here's What You Need To Know »
Voting in person: Safety Precautions Amid COVID-19
Where to vote: Find your polling place here (you can also find this and a sample ballot on your county clerk's website).
If you've voted in Illinois before, you don't need to provide ID to vote
You may need an ID if:
You registered to vote by mail and did not provide ID
An election judge challenges your right to vote.
If you are also registering to vote or changing your registration address on the day that you vote
If you are already in line to vote when the polls close, you still have the right to cast your ballot
Staying safe: Aside from wearing a mask and staying 6 feet away from other voters, you can also minimize risk by voting early to avoid long lines to vote. The Lake County Clerk's Office also encourages voters to bring their own pen, it should be black or blue and no markers. You can use a disposable stylus for touch-screen ballot marking equipment, according to the Lake County Clerk's Office news release.
The clerk's office has also placed "sneeze guards between election judges wearing face coverings and voters," instructed election judges to clean common equipment and voting utensils on a regular basis with supplied disinfectant wipes and set up social distance markers at polling places.
You Can Vote Safely In Person Despite Coronavirus. Here's How »
Who's On My Ballot?
Depending on where you live in the Highland Park area, not every ballot will be the same. You can view your sample ballot by entering your address and information on the county clerk's website.
In addition to voting in presidential, congressional, senatorial and some state and local races, Illinois voters are being asked to vote on the Graduated Income Tax Amendment.
A "yes" vote supports repealing the state's constitutional requirement that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and instead allow the state to enact legislation for a graduated income tax.
A "no" vote opposes this constitutional amendment, thus continuing to require that the state personal income tax be a flat rate and prohibit a graduated income tax.
Illinois Voters Asked To Decide 'Fair Tax': What You Need To Know »
Presidential race: While the ballot contains candidates from the Green Party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, American Solidarity Party and Libertarian Party, the major party candidates are Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence versus Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris. Check out White House Patch for the latest coverage on the election.
And, while she might not be leading in the polls, this year's Libertarian candidate, Jo Jorgensen, is a Lake County native. You can read more about her here: Lake Co. Native Is Libertarian Party's Presidential Pick and follow her on Twitter.
U.S. Senate: Incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin faces off against Republican Mark Curran, Green Party candidate David F. Black, Libertarian Danny Malouf and Willie Wilson, of the Willie Wilson Party.
Illinois Elections: More Races to Watch, Election-Related Updates As We Near Election Day. »
Lake County Races To Watch
Lake County State's Attorney: This year's race for the Lake County's top prosecutor is expected to be a competitive one. Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim, a Gurnee Republican, is taking on challenger Eric Rinehart, a Highwood Democrat and criminal defense attorney.
Related:
Lake County State's Attorney Candidates Face Off At Online Forum
Patch Candidate Q&A: Mike Nerheim, Lake County State's Attorney
Lake County State's Attorney Candidates Say Cameras Bring Transparency to Courtroom
Lake County Coroner: One-term Republican Howard Cooper and Democrat Jennifer Banek, a nurse anesthesiologist from Green Oaks, are voters choices this year for Lake County Coroner
Referendum Calling On Merger of Clerk's Office, Recorder's Office: Voters will be posed this questions: "Shall the office of the Recorder of Lake County be eliminated on December 1, 2022, by merging that office's duties and responsibilities into the office of the County Clerk of Lake County?"
Lake County Recorder: The main task for the county's recorder in the upcoming four years could be to merge the clerk's office and recorder's office if voters decide the merger should move forward. Both democratic incumbent Mary Ellen Vanderventer of Waukegan and Deerfield Republican Emilia Czyszczon agree that the merger should happen.
Lake County Board: Eight seats on the county board are on the ballot in the general election, including the 12th District, which includes parts of Highland Park, Knollwood, Lake Forest, Highland Park and Deerfield.
Incumbent Republican Mike Rummel, a former mayor and alderman in Lake Forest, is seeking a third term on the board. He is being challenged by West Deerfield Township Trustee Paras Parekh, a Highland Park Democrat.
Check back with Highland Park Patch for more updates as the election nears and subscribe to our free newsletters for the latest alerts
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This article originally appeared on the Highland Park Patch
